I'm not quite sure if I qualify for Italian citizenship or not. Both of my grandmothers were born AFTER their fathers became American citizens. My mother was born in 1955, father in 1953 and I was born in 1975. (Both my parents and grandparents were born in America.)

Bandaid approach: Sorry, doesn't sound like you're eligible for claiming citizenship. Your great-grandfathers (at least one of them) needed to still be an Italian citizen when your grandmother was born.

If your great-grandfathers were still Italian citizens when your grandmothers were born (ie. they were naturalized as Americans *after* the birth of your grandmothers), then it's worth looking into.

There are other factors that come into play, like whether your grandmothers ever renounced their Italian citizenship, and if so, whether this took place before or after the birth of your parents. Good news is you only need to trace your heritage through to one ancestor (as you probably know).

Ask at the Boston Consulate... They should be able to answer your questions about eligibility, and their counsel is free.

cercatrice wrote:Ask at the Boston Consulate... They should be able to answer your questions about eligibility, and their counsel is free.

Much better advice than the generic "Get a lawyer" cop-out post made earlier. Older folks are often skeptical and afraid of change, hence taking the most drastic steps to ensure everything is in order. I have been in contact with better than a dozen individuals who have done this on their own, without a lawyer. If you reside outside of Italy, Italian Tax and military obligations are easily waived, should you gain citizenship. As Cercatrice said, check with your consulate, they will explain to you exactly what you need to do.

The generic will save people much in time and effort and will ensure a smooth process. The people who you say did it without a lawyer are beyond my ken since people ask and I give them the best advice possible which is not "generic" but sound and safe. Coming from between the stacks you certainly display a degree of bravado which I find charming. peter

ptimber wrote:The generic will save people much in time and effort and will ensure a smooth process.

Someone asks for information readily available online and you tell them to contact a lawyer? That is a costly avenue to take, and absolutely unecessary in the begining, if ever in terms of gaining dual citizenship.

people ask and I give them the best advice possible which is not "generic" but sound and safe.

right...keep telling yourself that maybe you will believe it, I know many of us here do not. People do not ask to be ridiculed and insulted, I guess that's just a bonus...